What is it? A semi-permanent stain, similar to a tattoo, on parts of the face where you apply makeup. Eyes are the most common area, although lips are also often filled in.
How do they do it? An initial consultation is crucial, says therapist Caroline Lee. 'Don't do it right away,' she says. 'Have the consultation and then think about it.' During the consultation, Lee discusses the number of coats and the desired shape. Even when she begins the process, she applies only one coat at a time, so you can see how it's going and decide if you want to stop. Lee encourages clients to ask lots of questions. She uses only vegetable dyes approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, with different pigments depending on the colour required. Lee doesn't use black, but says she can apply any other colour requested.
Does it hurt? Lee says the sensation is like a slight scratching of the skin. Most people say it's a mild discomfort.
Who has it done? Young and old, but Lee recommends semi-permanent makeup - or micropigmentation - for career women over 20 who don't have time to apply makeup in the mornings. She says she wouldn't do the treatment on teenagers. But it's not only for those who are sick of the morning makeup routine. Cancer patients, for example, who have lost, or are about to lose, their eyebrows sometimes use the treatment. Similarly, burns victims and those with vitiligo - a lack of pigmentation - can camouflage whitened areas with it. Those losing their eyebrows because of alopecia, a form of hair loss, have also used the process.
Where does she apply eyeliner? Lee applies it just on the lash line, not too deep into the corners, and doesn't drag it down where it's more visible. A slight line on the top of the lids can lift the eyes for those in their 30s, she says. Lee uses light coats. In the past, some therapists used a thick, black line.
What are the benefits? No need to apply makeup every day. It won't smudge. And Lee says the look widens the eye.